SOUTH BEND, Ind. (July 16, 2024) – The Northern Indiana Regional Development Authority and the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership have released the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the South Bend – Elkhart region’s Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI 2.0) award.

A link to the RFP can be found here.

The online submission portal goes live today. Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. EDT on August 30.

Applicants are required to attend one of three workshops held around the region:

St. Joseph County: July 30, St. Joseph County Public Library Community Learning Center – Register Here
Marshall County: August 6, The REES Theatre – Register Here
Elkhart County: August 8, Elkhart Health & Aquatics – Register Here

Registration will close 48 hours before each event workshop.

Click here for more information and to download the RFP.

The South Bend – Elkhart region was one of six regions awarded $45 million from the IEDC in April. Other awards ranged from $10 million to $35 million. Gov. Eric Holcomb included $500 million in READI 2.0 funds as part of his 2023 Next Level Agenda. It was approved by the Indiana General Assembly during the 2023 legislative session.

The South Bend – Elkhart region was the recipient of $50 million in READI 1.0 funds in 2021. In 2022, the RDA awarded $40 million in to 17 of Quality of Place projects and $6.4 million in funding to 11 programs, resulting in an estimated $448 million in additional private and public investment. The full list of regional READI 1.0 projects can be found here.

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 About South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership

 The South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership seeks to unify and collaborate so that together, the communities across the region to work together to achieve what cannot be done individually. For more information about the Regional Partnership, visit SouthBendElkhart.org.

About the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Development Authority (RDA)

Formed in 2015, the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Development Authority (RDA) represents the three Indiana counties of Elkhart, Marshall, and St. Joseph. The RDA is overseen by a five-member board, each appointed by the mayors and commissioners of member counties and municipalities. The RDA is committed to the continued improvement of the South Bend – Elkhart region and receives staffing support from the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership, the lead regional economic development organization for the region. For more information about RDA, click here.